Los Angeles — A California man prosecutors referred to as a serial killer was convicted Thursday of raping and killing two women within the 1980s after investigators linked him to DNA proof, prosecutors stated.
Horace Van Vaultz Jr., 67, was discovered responsible of first-degree homicide with the particular circumstance allegations that the crimes concerned a number of murders, rape and sodomy, the Los Angeles County district lawyer’s workplace stated in an announcement.
Vaultz, a former Bakersfield resident, has been jailed since his 2019 arrest. He might face life in jail with out the chance of parole when he’s sentenced subsequent month.
Vaultz was convicted of killing 22-year-old Mary Duggan in 1986. Her physique was discovered within the trunk of her automobile in a parking zone within the Los Angeles suburb of Burbank. He additionally was convicted of the 1981 killing of 20-year-old Selena Keough, whose physique was discovered below bushes close to an residence constructing in Montclair, in San Bernardino County. Both have been strangled.
The instances went chilly for many years till they have been linked to Vaultz utilizing investigative genetic genealogy, through which genealogical websites are used to establish potential relations of a suspect based mostly on DNA collected at a criminal offense scene.
It was the primary prison case in LA County to make use of the process, the DA’s workplace stated.
At his trial, the prosecution argued that Vaultz was a sexually motivated serial killer. The protection argued that he had consensual intercourse with the women and another person killed them. Vaultz described himself as a “”swinger” and stated he could not keep in mind assembly the victims.
Prosecutors additionally stated a current re-examination of proof confirmed a DNA link between Vaultz and a 3rd killing in Ventura County, KNBC-TV reported.
Janna Rowe, 25, was strangled and left on a trash pile. Vaultz was acquitted of her demise in 1988, earlier than DNA proof was used at trial, and can’t be retried.
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